Ike Shooters

Here are the ten Ike Shooters and Goldie's co-workers! Yes, there are ten! A Shooter is actually the Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer, which basically means they shoot the planes off and catch the planes on the aircraft carrier! They are easily recognizable on the flight deck in their bright yellow shirts! These are the guys and lady that form a unique clique on the boat!

Forty Week Belly

Ok, I'm not actually forty weeks until tomorrow but I actually had makeup on today so here is my belly! Unfortunately baby #2 didn't arrive before Goldie left on deployment so I am not really in any hurry anymore! Well, other than I'm really uncomfortable and the baby manages to find a nerve to sit on every now and then that is very painful! So tomorrow is my due date and I'm not feeling very confident that he or she will make their appearance then! Kenan was a week late so hopefully that isn't the precedent! So here's to hoping tomorrow is the day!

Kenan's New Room

A few weeks ago we finally bought Kenan bedroom furniture for his new room! We got him bunk beds and a dresser! He loves the bed! He crawls right in it everytime we go in there! We haven't actually transitioned him to the "big boy" bed yet but we are getting it all ready for when we do! A couple days ago we bought the bedding, too! Here is what it looks like so far!

Sunday Night Dinner

A little tradition has started with a few of the wives from the Ike where we get together on Sunday nights for dinner! None of us had really known each other before we started doing this but we all have one thing in common... our loved ones are on the Ike! This bond is strong enough to make us tight knit even though we hardly know each other! Being a military wife is very unique and no one really understands it like another military wife that has or is going through it, too! So last night we got together for the first time on this deployment! It was so much fun and the food was delicious! I am thankful to have met these wonderful ladies and I look forward to cultivating those friendships further! Thanks girls!

Manning the Rails

Goldie had to be at the boat Friday night but they didn't leave until Saturday morning! So we loaded up early Saturday morning and went to see the "Manning of the Rails" and the boat leave! This was also the first time that Goldie wore his new "Aquaflage" uniform! Here are the pictures!

The back of Goldie! He is the one in the "Aquaflage"!

Goldie in on the far left!

Goldie and Bob preparing to man the rails!

The ship before the "Manning of the Rails"The Ship

The Sailors marching in!

Saluting during the National Anthem!

Watching the "Manning of the Rails"

The ship leaving the dock!

Deployment Has Arrived

Goldie's rack!

The Flight Deck

Looking at the tower from the flight deck

CVN 69

Looking at the Bubble from the flight deck

VLA - Visual Landing Aid

One of the passageways

The public phone he has to use to call! There is about a 3 or 4 second delay when we talk!

Hanging out at Goldie's desk!

The ceiling in Goldie's stateroom!

The Vanity in Goldie's room!

Goldie's Rack

Goldie's Desk... again!

Goldie's closet

The stateroom bookshelf!

The Brig

Goldie at his desk!

Goldie at his work desk!

The Gym

The Cardio Room

Flight Deck

Flight Deck

Arresting Gear Cable

Inside the Bubble

Inside the Bubble

The Scale Model of the Ship's Flight Deck

Sitting in the Air Boss and Mini Boss' chairs in the tower

The Tower

The Wardroom - where the officer's eat their meals!

Eating the delicious food in the Wardroom!

The countdown begins! Goldie left for five months on Saturday! However, he had to be at the boat on Friday! Unfortunately baby #2 decided not to come before Goldie left which made for a very emotional goodbye... for me anyway! However, I am glad that the goodbye is over and I can start counting down to when Goldie returns!

I am sure you are wondering what kind of conditions Goldie is living in while underway so I am posting pictures! Kenan and I were able to go visit Goldie one evening while he was on duty! Last week he was able to take my parents and give them the grand tour of the boat, also! So here are the pictures that we took!